


Protective

by deanine



Series: A Boy and His Symbiont [2]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Venom (Comics)
Genre: Gen, More Random MCU Cameos but I'm not listing everyone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-05-24 09:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14952345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanine/pseuds/deanine
Summary: The Avengers are back together but they missed a lot in the time they were away.  What will the newly pardoned Avengers make of the Klyntar?  Will they go to bat for a teen superhero and the symbiont in his brain when none of them really even know him?  Sequel to Symbiosis





	1. Reunion

_“We’re born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we’re not alone.” —Orson Wells_

Teenaged superheroes did not always get invited to the parties, not the ones with illicit tequila and lots of inept dancing, or the ones with villains and death rays either. Peter didn’t expect to be included in every social event that popped up in school. Like most kids he had his circles and rarely ventured out of them. After trying his hand at the big leagues, he wasn’t terribly fussed to be left out of the transatlantic hero fights too, at least for now. 

Most recently, a tinpot dictator in some backwards Eastern European country (Latveria maybe?) had gone a little crazy and tried to melt the polar ice caps or maybe freeze the Mediterranean? There was definitely melting and freezing involved. The Avengers had gone to help stop him. Peter knew a bit more about what was going on than what you could find on CNN, mainly because Mr. Stark had had to reschedule his and Cuddle’s checkup. 

Since the super hero dust up started, May kept texting him about small things, but things he had to answer. It was almost like she didn’t believe he hadn’t followed Ironman into battle, even though he told her he wasn’t making this trip. His confirming that he wanted Chinese food for dinner, and that he would pick up a pint of milk, and that he would come straight home made her feel better, and Peter could sort of understand why. They hadn’t had time to completely rebuild the trust his secret identity had broken between them, but they were making progress. 

For his part, Cuddles had his own problems lately. A morose little storm cloud, his empathetic mind touched the sea of humanity around them and something he saw there he reflected back at Peter darkly a dozen times a week. It happened again while they were walking to Ned’s place, Peter’s bright excitement to see Ned and discuss their summer blockbuster viewing schedule crashed against a wall of pity and sadness from Cuddles that nearly took his breathe away. 

No one actually ran into him though he had stopped suddenly on a busy sidewalk. The people just flowed around him like he was a stone in a river. When Peter started moving again, it wasn’t towards Ned’s place but to an alley where he could transition into his symbiont-suit. Determined to put some distance between himself and everyone else, Peter alternated between climbing and swinging until they were in the closest thing to a quiet place to be found in a bustling city like New York. Atop an old abandoned building, Peter settled into a shaded corner and focused inward on the distraught symbiont still resonating in a weepy purple-tinged wave of emotion. 

Using Xavier’s method of separating himself from Cuddles, Peter carefully disentangled from the clinging mass of foreign emotion until their connection was a small trickle. Once he had his center, he invited Cuddles back and tried to understand what had triggered this episode. Where before there was just a shout of raw emotion, a clearer series of concepts flowed. 

Peter saw a sea of humans, hiding behind masks, segregated from one another, alone in a way a symbiont never would be. Cuddles had literally been overwhelmed by the loneliness of the humans around him? There was another layer that his symbiont wasn’t ready to let go of, to share, but Peter tried his best to coax it out like he had been for weeks now. 

_“You know it’s different for them. They don’t know anything but what they are. They make connections in their own ways. They have music and art and words. Just because their connections aren’t brain to brain, doesn’t mean they’re alone. You shouldn’t be sad for them, and if it was a particularly lonely individual you’re worried about, well we could go talk to them. They’d probably think we’re crazy or stalkers or muggers, but friendly neighborhood Spider-men can help with problems like that. That definitely fits into our little gray area Mr. Stark wanted us operating in.”_

A vivid memory of an orange tabby cat turned feral monster that they had tried to rescue flashed through their mind and Peter knew Cuddles had shifted out of his mood. _“No, we can’t replace cat protective duties with our new mission. Lost cats need help too.”_ Peter smiled, and he knew Cuddles was mimicking the expression with their suit. _“You can show me what’s really wrong. I can’t help if you won’t let me see.”_

But Cuddles was done discussing his unpredictable moods and Peter knew it would be useless to push. When they first met and bonded, the baby symbiont had tried diligently to reflect his host perfectly, but he was maturing into his own personality, still rooted in Peter but with nuances and quirks all his own. Sort of like a human teenager that no longer wanted to be his dad, Cuddles was determined to find his own voice, to grow into a strength equal to his host. _“Fine then, we need to hurry so Ned doesn’t worry.”_

Cuddles protested abruptly that they had a lonely human he wanted to make contact with. Peter sighed, but he had agreed to this. _“The Avengers find out we’ve been wandering around Queens giving free hugs to sad people and they’re going to dub us the lamest heroes of our generation.”_ Cuddles felt the genuine care and concern that hid behind the flippant words, so there was no danger he would take the sarcasm as anything meant to actually dissuade him from his path. In a trick that Mr. Stark would probably find disturbing, Peter settled back, and Cuddles took the wheel, steering them with his empathy back to the person he wanted to help. 

There was a change to their swinging style when Cuddles was moving them that few people would have a chance to compare, but Peter could feel it. Cuddles, less than a year out of his egg, could manipulate their body to move them faster and with greater efficiency than Peter’s enhanced body should ever have been capable. Hyperextending their joints in ways that the most accomplished contortionist would have envied they flowed between the buildings, a glorious flight that would inspire him to compose music if his brain worked that way. 

_“Suited up, we’re as likely to scare a random person as help them. So, let me know who we need to help, and we’ll brain storm an approach, okay?”_

Cuddles blew a multicolored wall of offended dignity at Peter before generating a perfect to the last hair avatar of Peter when he was maybe five. He even sported skinned knees and an asthma inhaler in his pocket. The avatar blinked perfectly human-appearing brown eyes and pushed his glasses up on his nose. That avatar turned to them and gestured to the park before departing for his target. Only now that his plan had been deployed did Cuddles let Peter see his lonely human, a small girl in the sandbox, single-mindedly digging a hole. Their avatar sat in the sand beside her and took her hand. 

The limits of empathy had never felt more terrible to Peter in that moment. Someone had hurt her terribly but knowing that didn’t tell them who or when or how. Maybe it happened yesterday or last year? Trauma often didn’t fade even after years of time to heal. They had no way to distinguish the precise nature of the trauma. Maybe she was molested? Or maybe one of her parents died? Or maybe her dog got run over? Her wounds could be criminal or just tragic in origin, empathy couldn’t actually distinguish. Even with their avatar holding her hand, it only made the emotional wounds more vivid without clarifying the cause. Peter stepped in, adding a layer of language to Cuddles' wordless message that she was not alone. _“Find a teacher or a policeman or a doctor and talk to them. Tell someone you’re sad. Find someone and ask for help. Ask for help. Ask someone for help.”_

A woman came for the girl later, a woman that made her feel safe and Peter pushed harder. _“Tell her what happened. Ask her for help. You’re not alone. She’ll help you. Please tell her.”_

“Come on Lisa. Say goodbye to your little friend and let’s go.” The woman crouched down and offered Lisa her hand. The girl broke the connection with Peter and Cuddles and ignoring the offered hand she threw herself into the woman’s arms. 

“I want to go home. Do we have to get divorced anymore? I miss daddy.” 

Peter sagged in relief hearing the mother and daughter talk about a divorce that apparently little Lisa was taking hard. It was sad, and it would take time for the emotional wound to heal, but there wasn’t anything criminal happening. Cuddles showed less relief. Peter tried to reassure him. _“We helped her. Her mom knows she’s upset and she’ll help her. There are something like a million divorces a year and lots of kids go through it. Some have a rougher time than others. I really think we helped.”_

Their avatar returned and morphed seamlessly back into them. _“It’s getting late.”_ Neither of them felt much like discussing movies with Ned any more. Without even needing to pull the phone from Cuddles' biological hold, they sent a brief text explaining that they would need to reschedule the movie planning session, using the vague catch-all excuse—Spider-business. 

Cuddles let Peter retake the wheel and they set out on patrol, looking for someone else to help. 

* * *

It wasn’t the first time in his life that Tony Stark was too exhausted to really feel much of the moment he was living. It was probably a good thing today. Not since the Sokovia Accords had so many people roamed the halls in Avengers headquarters. After the accords were revoked on legal challenge and the absent Avengers successfully pardoned, the building hadn’t magically refilled. No bringing them back together required a significant threat, a battle to fight as a team. The appropriately named Dr. Doom had provided that challenge. 

Now the band was back together, filling up the spaces they left behind and with the villain cooling his heels in super max the buffer of a threat couldn’t stop old hurts and arguments from resurfacing. Tony was just too tired to make any verbal jabs and everyone else seemed to be similarly inclined. Well, most everyone was tired. 

“It was a glorious battle,” Thor said. He plopped onto the couch next to Tony, grinning and seemingly oblivious to the tensions between a large group of them. “I have missed this.” 

“You missed us? Don’t get me wrong, we were glad to see you. Things weren’t going exactly well before you fried the outer defenses, but where the Hell have you been?” Tony asked. “Chilling on Asgard?” 

“I went on a hunt for Infinity stones. Unfortunately, they proved elusive and my father asked me to return to Earth for a diplomatic mission. Your world has been invaded, by the way. I’m here to kick the invaders out. The fellow with the big freezing weapon seemed to need handling before we got down to the invasion.” 

“Invaded?” Steve asked. “You’re just mentioning this now?” 

Sam put down the tumbler of liquor he had been sipping. “Someone point me to the coffee.” 

For his part, Tony was massaging his forehead, a resigned look on his face. He let everyone grumble for a few moments before asking his question. “This invasion wouldn’t be the Klyntar, would it?” 

Bruce, never great at keeping secrets or having a poker face looked up and pointed to the guest quarters. “Right, can two aliens equal an invasion though?” 

Tony looked at Thor and waited for him to answer. “Yes, two aliens can be an invasion. A single Klyntar can be extremely dangerous. Asgard has advocated for the Earth and its continued protected status. Allowing Klyntar immigrants would undermine that. It would be a large step toward removing it altogether. The alien immigrants have to go. I’m here to convince them to leave quietly, or if necessary to make them leave.” Thor brandished Mjolnir for emphasis. 

Steve squinted at Tony querulously. “So, you’ve know about the aliens? Strange that my sources in the government never reported them. Didn’t you read the Accords committee in on the Klyntar invasion?” 

The irony of Tony not honoring the Accords when the document had temporarily destroyed the Avengers and put a big group of them on the wrong side of the law was not lost on him, but none them had a clue what had gone on with the symbionts or the stakes of the situation. “Don’t be a star-spangled ass, Rodgers. None of you were here. I made calls that had to be made or people were going to die. Hell, people did die. People were permanently maimed. Am I lying Bruce?” Tony asked. 

“No, you’re not, but now that the team is back at full numbers, maybe we should read them in on the situation? One of the aliens is camped out in the guest quarters. She’s pink, a lighter shade than Vision, goes by the name Zero. She’s a little stuck up, but hasn’t been overtly violent, well except for that first meeting where she threatened to burn the world. Turns out that was a bluff.” Bruce’s smile was painfully awkward. No one looked particularly reassured by his rambling disjointed explanation. “Tony?” 

“The Klyntar are a race of symbionts. That’s a type of parasite for any of you who forgot your high school biology. A couple of them bonded with human beings—long story, but one of those bonds stuck. The snotty one upstairs is just here to monitor the welfare of the baby goo monster bonded to the human. They have no plans to reproduce, grow crops or do anything else that a text book would qualify as colonization. They’re on an extended visit.” Tony stared at Thor hard. “You will leave the human host alone. Do not try to guilt him into leaving Earth. He’s the type to run with it and go, and that’s not fair to him. He’s a kid, a good kid; we’re not kicking him off his planet.” 

“Okay, if we’re not kicking the Klyntar off world, then what happens if Earth loses protected status?” Natasha asked. 

“Less subtle invasions and no protection from the Galactic Council. Humanity would be devoured in a matter of years,” Thor said. “I would fight for Earth with all of you, but Asgard would not send her armies to help. As unfair as you claim it to be, the easiest way to protect the world is to relocate the two individuals jeopardizing it.” 

Tony was on his feet before Thor finished talking. “We are not kicking the kid off the planet.” 

Vision stepped forward and raised a hand stopping Tony from saying more. “It seems to me that our problem is diplomatic. We need a good advocate to solve this problem, not Thor and his cudgel. Can you provide us with a copy of the treaties, laws and other pertinent documents? If allowed to review them, perhaps we can find an arrangement that is less distasteful in its outcomes.” 

Thor frowned and whispered under his breath. “Mjolnir is not a cudgel.” When he realized that everyone was waiting for him to answer Vision’s request, he sighed. “I’ll request the information, but the treaties are vast and complex. We may not have time to study them for an alternate solution.” 

“What kind of time limit are we talking here?” Tony asked. 

“My father gave me three days to evict the Klyntar.” 

From the back of the room, Sam settled next to Steve with his cup of coffee. “We really going to let Stark set the tone on this?” 

“He knows more about what’s going on. Besides, I agree with him. Making the person leave his home because it’s easy, shouldn’t be our first answer.” Steve shrugged. “I’ll speak up if I disagree with where things are headed.” 

“It’s just weird, you know? Stark’s usually more pragmatic with things. Who do you think this kid is that he won’t even entertain Thor relocating him?” Sam asked. 

Steve shrugged. “I’m sure we’re going to find out.” 


	2. The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to make a few subtle changes to chapter one. I doubt you can even spot them if you reread it, but just FYI.

Peter and Cuddles could smell May’s Chinese takeout from the street, granted it was mixed with a miasma of other smells. Mrs. Barsar from the second floor was making a curry—the smell was unique to her and Peter could have picked it out pre-spider bite. Someone on the fifth floor was having cabbage and next door smelled like old warmed-over pizza—pepperoni and oregano but just a bit stale. Judging by the unique smoky aroma coming from across the hall, there would be munchies later if the marijuana stereotype held up. 

Sometimes Peter wished his senses came with dials that he could adjust to current need, but even without volume control, there was a trick to managing the situation. You had to tune out the noise, let it fade into the background and focus on what you wanted to smell and taste, not the multi-cultural smorgasbord happening in their apartment building or the exhaust, urine, and garbage trying to creep in from the streets. 

Well, Peter had to focus and try to tune out. It wasn’t a problem for Cuddles. The little blob loved chocolate, but he also liked to absorb industrial chemicals for raw materials. It all smelled interesting and potentially tasty to him. On the way home he had begged Peter to stop so they could clean up the street where someone’s car had leaked oil. It was hard to argue with the little guy even if it always left an odd taste in his mouth, a side-effect of Cuddles trying to show Peter what he was consuming in his unique wordless way. They were literally cleaning up the neighborhood and hydrocarbons were great materials for creative chemistry. “ _We might be lame, but we’re lame and environmentally sound_ ,” Peter shared silently as they came through the apartment door. “Hi May, dinner smells great.” 

“Yeah well, we’re not doing takeout all week, but today is a bit of a special occasion.” May didn’t stop dishing food from little white cartons onto plates and into bowls. After letting him squirm in confusion for a few moments, she paused and caught Peter’s eye, not surprised at all to see his deer in headlights expression. “You didn’t forget a birthday or a major holiday. Your old Aunt May got a new job. You’re looking at the shift lead for that walk-in clinic down on Parsons, you know the one with the ugly ceramic animals?” 

“Wow, I didn’t know you were looking. Congrats!” Peter offered May a high five which she slapped enthusiastically. There were layers to this celebration and the skin to symbiont contact with his aunt confirmed it. It was obvious to Peter, especially with Cuddles to back up his impressions that May had been under a lot of stress with her job at the hospital. They hadn’t talked about it, but the theory that she was getting backlash from all the time she took off during his crisis with Cuddles came to mind. 

It was hard not to blame himself for things like May’s work troubles. When he told Ned about his worries, how he felt responsible for things like Liz moving to Oregon and losing her dad. Ned always argued him around. In exasperation one afternoon he told him, “Peter, you can find a way to blame yourself for everything wrong in the universe, but in reality, most of the time supernovas just happen. No one caused them.” When Ned made broad science metaphors he was impossible to argue with and Peter had promised to try not to blame himself for every catastrophe in the galaxy, on the planet or in Queens for that matter. 

A mental image, so clear that it could be mistaken for Pixar animation flashed through his mind, an extrapolation of Ned’s supernova comment. May rode a nice rocket away from a supernova, leaving an old, colorless hospital-world to land on a bright, new out-patient-clinic-world. Cuddles even decorated the new world with brightly-colored ceramic animals. The childish cartoon was such a dramatic turnaround from his mood earlier that Peter couldn’t help himself, he laughed out loud. This was the innocent, happy goo-kid he knew. 

“You find Chow Mein funny?” May asked. 

Peter offered her his hand so she could see for herself. Cuddles replayed his movie without all the emotional baggage of self-recrimination tacked on. May laughed too, unaware of the context that had caused Cuddles to compose his mini-movie. 

“The walk-in clinic is a good job though? They made you shift lead?” Peter asked. 

“The pay is a little less, but the hours are better. Stark proposed that the Avengers should make your internship paid with all you put into it, and I agreed with him, so that will help make sure we’re still able to keep saving for college. We set it up so most of your pay goes directly to a trust fund for your education and the rest will go to you to use responsibly.” 

“Responsibly?” Peter asked, quite unsure what he would do with any amount of money that May had negotiated for his Spider-salary. 

“For example, you and Ned were going to plan your summer movie viewing schedule, right? That would be a reasonable expense.” 

Peter sat back and smiled. He always felt so guilty any time he needed money for a new backpack or anything. “I could help buy groceries.” 

“That’s too responsible. I’m earning a living wage. Also, I think you may be overestimating how much money we’re talking.” May gestured to the table of food. “Come on let’s eat before this congeals into an inedible greasy mess.” 

“This would be our second greasy meal today,” Peter said, the aftertaste of hydrocarbon fresh in his memory. Peter began piling noodles and shrimp on his plate like he hadn’t seen food in a week. 

“Did you already eat at Ned’s?” May asked. 

“No, Cuddles decided to absorb a big slick of oil off the street for raw materials, and technically we never made it to Ned’s today. We got distracted.” Peter used his fork to rearrange his food without taking a bite. 

“You want to tell me about it, or is this going to be a mystery distraction?” May smiled crookedly and tried to keep things light. She hated feeling like an interrogator but keeping up with Peter was so much more complicated that raising a typical teen. 

“We have a new project. You know how people give away food to hungry people?” Peter sighed and stared at the table. This was going to sound so wrong. “We gave away hugs to lonely people.” 

May set her fork on the table. “You did what?” 

“Not like real hugs, but sort of better. Cuddles can make a perfect avatar and we sent it out, so it was totally anonymous. It was a symbiont hug.” Peter held his hand out and waited for May to take it for a demonstration. 

“Not a brain whammy like what Cuddles did with Happy that time?” May asked before taking Peter and Cuddles’ hand again. 

“It’s like that old Michael Jackson song.” Peter sang just off key, “You are not alone, I am here with you. Remember the song? The hug is subtler though. Do you feel it?” 

It was subtle. May turned to tell Ben how it felt because just for a moment while holding on to Cuddles for his special-hug, she could have sworn that Ben was beside her, filling his chair, breathing their air. For the few seconds that it lasted, it was heaven. Then it ended, and May felt more alone than she had in months. She shakily took her hand back. “I think, whether you’re using chemicals to affect them or not, the two of you don’t understand enough of what you’re doing to be fiddling with vulnerable people’s minds and emotions. Promise me that you won’t experiment with this again.” 

Peter had to clench his fists and hold tight to control their bond because Cuddles had just wailed in his mental ears. They hurt May. His attempt to help had caused her pain, reopening wounds that had scabbed over and started to scar. None of their other hugs had gone badly, but the others had been open, festering mental wounds. Their attempts at ministrations couldn’t make things worse, but maybe they had? Maybe everyone they tried to help today had been set back? 

“We won’t do it again, May. I’m so sorry.” Peter wiped at his eyes, trying not to cry despite Cuddles’ resonating shame. Hurting one of their people was anathema to him, to them both really. “Cuddles is sorry too.” 

“You were trying to help people, people who were hurting. Peter, it is impossible to be angry with you and Cuddles for that, but you have to be more careful. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.” May hesitated to reach out for a fraction of a moment, but she came around the table and pulled Peter into a hug. “Don’t cry. Peter, calm down and calm the symbiont down. I’m okay. We’re okay. Please don’t cry.” 

* * *

The Avengers didn’t stay together debating their Klyntar guests for long. The most human of the group, the ones that really needed sleep every couple of days, tapped out for a few hours rest. The god, android, and Tony-on-expresso started poring through the treaties that had arrived via Bifrost less than an hour after Thor requested them. “Exactly what language is this?” Tony asked, thumbing through a large bound document. 

Thor glanced at the book and frowned. “Galactic standard. Everything should be in Galactic Standard. All school children are taught Galactic Standard.” 

“Fabulous, see I took French at MIT, the language of love and all. Show of hands, who here speaks Galactic standard,” Tony looked around. As expected, Thor raised a hand, but surprisingly so did Vision. 

“Another unexpected gift from the stone in my head,” Vision posited without looking up from the book he was methodically reading. “It will take a few hours, but I can internalize these documents and translate them for F.R.I.D.A.Y. as I go. She is already accepting and formatting the information.” 

Tony clapped his hands together, all manic, determined energy. “Cram session. Someone put on another pot of coffee. Let’s crack this.” 

“On it boss,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. chimed. 

One floor up, instead of sleeping, Steve roamed the halls, checking that everyone was where he expected them to be. He didn’t need to open the doors to confirm; his senses were just acute enough that he could detect the sounds of sleep within as he walked the circuit. Wanda and Sam, Clint and Scott, Steve knew they were capable adults, but he couldn’t help feeling almost paternal toward them after the way they had stood by him even to the point of becoming fugitives. 

He passed Natasha on his way back to his rooms. She raised a finger to her lips and paused outside Bruce’s door. Good luck, Steve mouthed silently. Nat was a super spy who could have easily evaded his notice if she wanted. Maybe she let him see her destination because she needed the encouragement? Steve hoped her private reunion with Bruce went well. 

Almost everyone was back where they belonged, the exception being Bucky. His friend wasn’t home and couldn’t be until his mind was clear. But Bucky on ice in Wakanda and receiving care wasn’t quite as bitter a pill to swallow as Bucky on the lam and alone. At least he was safe. 

Of course the Avengers had another crisis to handle in a pair of aliens, but this wasn’t Hydra or Loki or even Dr. Doom. As crises went, this felt manageable. Steve retreated to his room and found a note waiting on the bed. 

_Hey Cap,_

_If you can’t sleep and want to get ahead on your reading, I put together a little recap on the situation with the symbionts. Just ask F.R.I.D.A.Y. to show you the Benham Street Anomaly file._

_Bruce_

This is what happened when your insomnia was notorious, people left you overnight homework. Finding a tablet on his desk, Steve settled comfortably. “F.R.I.D.A.Y., could you please load the Benham Street Anomaly file, thanks.” He read through the summary of events, skimming when the math and physics got too esoteric. Steve couldn’t help noticing that the file had been painstakingly redacted to conceal the identity of Spider-man. When he listened to the audio and video recordings, similar redactions had been performed. 

Stark was determined to retain control of the situation to the degree that he didn’t even want the other Avengers to know who the human host was. While F.R.I.D.A.Y. had been meticulous with her alterations, there was more than one way to skin a cat. 

Steve watched the videos, reading lips as they went until he felt pretty certain that their underage symbiont host was named Peter Parker. He was also pretty certain that Stark was justified in trying his hardest to help the kid out, but it wasn’t like they were going to execute him. Temporary expatriation for the greater good was sometimes necessary. 

Just ask Sgt. Barnes. 

* * *

Natasha sat opposite Bruce and waited expectantly for him to speak first. It was an old interrogation trick, using silence against someone, letting it stretch out until they couldn’t help but say something and so often what they finally said gave most everything away. Unfortunately, Bruce seemed equally determined to wait her out. She could ask him where he had been, if he missed her, if he hated her. She could ask him if there was ever really anything between them or if she imagined it all. 

Bruce didn’t speak, and he didn’t keep waiting either, he sighed and smiled in his sad, sort of hopeless way and tried to walk away. He was really just going to leave his rooms with her in them? Interrogation techniques worked better when the person couldn’t just leave. Natasha felt a small rush of anger. Leaving was sort of Bruce’s specialty. “I was hoping we could talk.” 

Bruce turned back at the door. “About the aliens? I put together a little briefing. F.R.I.D.A.Y. compiled it for me. Just ask to view the Benham Street Anomaly and it’s all in there.” He gestured vaguely toward the nearest tablet. “Things are bound to be crazy tomorrow. We should get some sleep.” 

“Is that an invitation, Dr. Banner?” Natasha asked. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if he said yes, but damned if they weren’t going to have this conversation. 

“No, Nat, it was a polite suggestion from one friend to another. I made my play, my offer. You weren’t interested, remember?” Bruce shrugged. “Let’s be friends.” 

“I didn’t choose to run away and let Ultron destroy the world, so my rejection is absolute and unforgivable?” Natasha scoffed. “Maybe we could set decisions made while trying to save the world aside?” 

“Okay, consider it set aside. Have you heard that old joke about how porcupines make love?” Bruce asked. “We are a prickly pair, and we were already careless with each other. I can’t afford to lose control of my emotions, Nat. So, we’re going to be friends. If you can use another friend?” Bruce offered her his hand, and with it a chance to move forward into a simpler relationship. 

Natasha crossed the room and stared at his hand as though considering it, and she took a risk like she hadn’t been able to when he asked her to run away. She stepped in and kissed Bruce, not the dominating seductress that she pretended to be when working a mark, but a tentative, butterfly whisper of a kiss. “I have plenty of friends.” 

A dangerous green glint shone out of his eyes, but Bruce didn’t try to escape again. He let his emotions rise and danced the edge between passion and rage where the wrong move could turn him into a monster. He kissed her back. 


	3. Double Sided

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the extended delay. We will see if the brain is up for finishing a story? Wish me luck. :)

It was an efficient system, Vision and F.R.I.D.A.Y. translating galactic laws with Tony reading the documents not quite as quickly as the supercomputer A.I.s could process them. Thor left them to it. His father hadn’t sent him to find a diplomatic solution to allow the Klyntar to remain on Earth. He was here to evict them and with this race’s ability to camouflage itself, he would feel better if he had eyes on at least one of them. 

Thor found the pink-skinned host right where Banner said she would be, not hiding or laying in wait, but quietly reading right out in the open. Zero gestured to him with a series of very polite, Krylorian hand gestures. “It is my great honor to meet a Prince of Asgard, Thor isn’t it?” 

There were protocols for this type of meeting, an entire dance of formality that Thor had never much cared for. Loki had always been the one to step into these situations with the correct gestures and phrases, glossing over his older brother’s resistance to the proper formalities. For a brief moment,Thor considered trying to be that prince and twist his fingers into the proper Krylorian greeting that took in his station and the Klyntar’s, but he only really knew one Krylorian hand gesture with absolute certainty and it wasn’t for use in polite, political protocols. “That’s right and you’re Zero and Root. You are the third Klyntar I’ve met in my time. The first fought at my back against a hoard of dire wraiths. He was fearless and noble and very possibly saved my life. He called himself Wixer; said he was a knight. I liked him quite a lot.” 

“He sounds like one of our knights. They are inimitable fighters.” She gestured for Thor to enter the room properly but he lingered at the door. 

“Can you just remember me from Wixer’s memories? I mean your minds are all linked together. When a man has met one Klyntar, has he met them all?” Thor asked. 

“That is a gross oversimplification, when you’ve met one of us, you’ve met one of us. We can pool knowledge and work in concert but each individual can only process so much information at a time.” Zero smiled blandly as she attempted to leverage that same collective mind for as much information on Asgard and its royal family as was available. Unfortunately, the collective seemed focused intensely elsewhere, with little to spare for her conversation woes. 

Shifting his grip on his hammer, Thor shook his head. “Interesting, so you wouldn’t remember my encounter on the world Balfonheim.” 

Her eyes widened and her smile slipped into a firm line. Zero didn’t need the collective mind to fill her in on the atrocities at Balfonheim. No reasonable host volunteered to join with a symbiont without reviewing the darker side of the Klyntar’s history. “That conflict was well before my time, but I’ve read a few historical accounts.” Without a hint of a tremor in her hand, Zero lifted a delicately fluted bottle filled with green liquid. “Wine? It’s Krylorian.” 

“I don’t drink with enemies.” 

“Is that what we are? I thought we were galactic neighbors if not actual allies. We’ve been at peace for longer than I’ve been alive.” Zero poured herself a glass of the wine and took a seat. Sipping nervously, she gestured to a seat across the room, but Thor stubbornly just stood in the doorway, hammer at the ready. 

“Historical accounts couldn’t possibly do justice to the war for Balfonheim. I fought there. Of course, we only arrived well after the civilian population had been dispatched. What kind of being doesn’t burn or bury the dead? We fought over their rotting bodies. You never forget that kind of smell.” A spark of electricity danced over his hammer and deep in his eyes. “After my experience with your knight, it was shocking for me to find a Klyntar-bonded warlord leading the occupying army. But you read the historical accounts, so you know.” 

“The host was uncommonly violent on Balfonheim. The symbiont was not the dominant entity in the conflict. Our symbiont was actually damaged irreparably in that bond. He is one of our lost children.” Zero sighed. “Most of the time when people are meeting Klyntar, the host is in charge. Their beliefs and morals dominate. It can create confusion about what we really believe and stand for. What are you really asking me, Prince of Asgard?” 

“I’m asking what kind of Klyntar you are? I’m asking what you and yours really want with Earth?” 

Sitting across from the Asgardian and his very prominently displayed weapon, Zero and Root had never been more acutely aware of their limitations. They were not well suited to battle. Running away had always been their go to in moments of true threat. “We are neither a monster or a knight and the other symbiont and host are children. We aren’t a threat. This isn’t an invasion or a war. It wasn’t planned. This whole situation was an accident. We made that clear in the exemption we filed with the galactic council.” Zero gestured vaguely toward Tony’s primary lab. “We are guests of the Avengers themselves. We are here as a kindness and courtesy to the human host. So, I would humbly suggest that you find a law we’ve broken that would justify your planned eviction.” 

“Earth is a special case, and your exemption was already rejected. You staying here will damage this world’s protective status irreparably.” Thor finally came fully inside and took a seat across from Zero, resting his hammer between them. “What would I need to do to convince you to leave Earth with the other symbiont? Stark seems pretty determined to keep the human host on Earth. Is it possible to just extract your symbiont and go?” 

“Can you rip your heart and lungs out and keep going?” Zero sipped her wine and pulled somewhat desperately at the minds who remembered the intricacies of the Klyntar history in relation to Asgard. “Do you really think we wouldn’t have taken our symbiont back and decamped if that were an option? The treaty between us isn’t so strong that we would dare irate Asgard or her allies purposefully. You speak about the battle of Balfonheim like you’re the only one touched by that horror. It lives in our memory too.” 

“Please spare me the righteous protests; you aren’t the victim here any more than you were there, but I can be fair. I’ll listen if you want to try to convince me that you and the other symbiont can remain on Earth safely.” Thor crossed his arms, his body language making very clear how open he was to any arguments Zero and her symbiont might make. 

“Stark trusts the Klyntar almost as much as you. Both of us are compliant with intense monitoring for the privilege of staying on this world.” Still struggling to pull more information about their legal and political situation, Zero got her response from Root, not an information dump from their collective mind, but a logical determination that she couldn’t deny. She took a long drink of the creamy green alcohol in her glass and rose gracefully. Root manifested as ropy cords of pink snake that kept its eyes on Thor and his hammer, even as Zero turned her back and headed for the door. “We should have this conversation with Stark. He can explain his monitoring measures in detail and I can perhaps shed some light on our political problems.” 

Thor tossed and caught his hammer. “After you.” 

* * *

Unlike some, Tony Stark was not burdened by any semblance of false modesty. He knew exactly how smart he was and that if he put his mind to it, he could solve most any puzzle put to him. Over the years, Tony had been selective with the puzzles he wasted his time and energy on. Why learn contract law if you could hire a reasonably intelligent lawyer to handle your contracts? Why spend your life pondering theoretical sciences that couldn’t be tested when there were so many more interesting (and profitable) applied sciences to spend your brilliance on. 

When push came to shove, Tony could work through problems outside his area of expertise, but the time spent building a knowledge base could be frustrating. Reading aloud to himself and the A.I.s working alongside him, Tony said, “Exemptions can not be issued to races considered aggressive or infectious. Please refer to the attached documents that describe aggressive or infectious. Please tell me that defying all earlier indications, the definitions are succinct?” 

“Each definition contains roughly 500,000 words,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. supplied. 

Tony sighed. “We need more than three days to work on this. How firm is that three day deadline? F.R.I.D.A.Y. find Point Break and ask him if we can get an extension.” 

Vision looked up and answered before F.R.I.D.A.Y. could. “Thor appears to be already headed this way. He’s accompanied by Zero.” 

Tony sighed. “That’s perfect actually. The two of them should be in here helping.” 

Like a pink-tinted queen acknowledging her subjects, Zero led Thor into the room. She nodded to Vision and Tony, making her complicated hand gestures that none of them understood. “May I sit?” Without waiting for permission she settled on the edge of one of the lab stools. “It has come to my attention that myself, Peter and Cuddles are being asked to leave Earth, that our residency exemption was protested by Asgard and suspended by the Galactic Council.” 

“Nice summary, now are you here to offer up a solution or are we just rehashing the situation?” Tony asked. 

“There is no solution unless Asgard drops her objection. If a race with thousands of years of political and legal maneuvering could not file an exemption that held up to Asgardian protest, you aren’t going to pen a response that does so in three decades of studying, much less three days. So, I’m here to help you convince him,” Zero gestured to Thor, “to argue our case for us.” 

“I don’t argue cases in front of the Galactic Council. Asgard has diplomats and politicians than mange such things.” Thor leaned against the wall. “I also don’t make it habit to second guess my father’s decisions.” 

“What kind of prince doesn’t do diplomacy, but personally provides eviction services?” Tony smirked and shook his head. “After meeting your brother I had my suspicions, but now it’s definite, Asgardians are all insane.” 

“Sanity varies culturally, I’ve found.” Thor shrugged. 

“The Asgardian diplomats argue only under direction from the royal family,” Zero continued, apparently impervious to banter. “If you went home to your father and asked him to reverse his position, you don’t think you could change his mind?” 

“No, my father’s a reasonable man, but I’d have to have a compelling argument, and frankly, I don’t think my father is wrong to want your kind off of Earth. You’re too unpredictable and too dangerous to leave here.” Looking back to Stark, Thor frowned. “I know you are working hard to keep your human friend on his home, but you don’t really know how dangerous this race can be.” 

“Don’t I? Thor, we already evicted a rogue Klyntar. I know what I’m dealing with. I’ve got these symbionts monitored more closely than a Kardashian on her wedding day. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?” 

“Ultron.” Thor answered. “I remember Ultron being mostly your fault.” 

“A man builds one megalomaniac super robot and his friends never let it go.” Tony combed his fingers through his hair and came to his feet. “Look, I’m responsible for this kid who’s hosting the other symbiont to a level I’m frankly uncomfortable with, but he’s a good kid and that makes for a good symbiont, right? What do I have to do to convince you?” 

As tempting as it was to just tell Stark there was nothing he could do, Thor sighed. “Fine, I want to meet him, or them. It’s the only way I’ve ever been able to get a sense of one of them. This one here, she’s stuffy, but she isn’t a monster. If your friend isn’t a monster either, then I guess we could talk about your efforts at monitoring. If it seems adequate, then I suppose I could talk to my father about making an exception on their behalf.” 

Tony chewed his bottom lip. Keeping Peter’s identity secret had always been plan A in the protection protocol Tony had devised for him and Cuddles. How far the Avengers would be brought into that plan was something he hadn’t finished debating with himself, much less Peter or May. The three day time limit Thor had given them, precluded a lot of dithering. “We can facilitate a meeting. How firm is this three day deadline you came with?” 

“The deadline is barely two days now, and it’s nonnegotiable.” Thor shrugged. “If you bring this host and symbiont to me right now, and I’m immediately convinced that you’re right and they should get to stay, it will take time for me to change my father’s mind and galactic politics move slowly.” 

“We should get things moving then,” Zero interjected. “Allow me to fetch them.” A wave of pale, almost white symbiont engulfed Zero and she disappeared with only a small rush of displaced air to signal her departure. 

“She does that often?” Thor asked. “You say you’re monitoring them. How do you track her?” 

“LoJack doesn’t have anything on Stark industries. F.R.I.D.A.Y. bring up the biometric monitors and mapping,” Tony said. “We had to deal with an insane symbiont right off the bat. I understand how ugly these particular aliens can go. Keeping tabs is part of their lease agreement with the Avengers. If either of them starts trying to evade me, it would change the situation.” 

“This race is renowned in the galaxy for their ability to disappear into any environment or culture. Have you ever lost track of one?” Thor circled the glowing map displaying lists of numbers that meant very little to him. 

“Not since the monitors were placed.” No need to mention the time Peter and Cuddles walked out of the most secure facility they had without breaking a sweat, Tony reasoned. 

* * *

Peter only just had time to warn May that they had company coming. Zero usually sent plenty of warning before dropping by and she tried to limit her visits to human-normal timing. As it was, May didn’t look terribly amused in her purple bathrobe and slippers waiting for their uninvited guest at three in the morning. “I assume there’s an emergency.” May asked. “Did she say what was so important that it couldn’t wait until sunrise?” 

“No, but she knows better than to just pop in like this without a good reason. I hope Mr. Stark and the other Avengers aren’t in trouble. The freeze ray guy seemed serious.” Peter shrugged even as the the air swirled and Zero made her appearance. Without his biological enhancements, Peter wouldn’t be able to hear May quietly grinding her teeth through Zero’s greeting. She wasn’t anywhere near over Zero’s blackmailing him into leaving the planet with her, and most visits struggled to keep things civil between them. “Is everyone okay? Do the Avengers need our help?” 

“The Avengers are fine. We are having a small political issue and you need to convince an Asgardian Prince to sponsor our continued residency on Earth.” Smiling entirely too broadly, Zero continued. “It shouldn’t be a problem for you. He just wants to make sure you aren’t the type to murder and destroy recklessly.” 

“You mean Thor?” Peter couldn’t help the bubble of excitement he felt to meet another Avenger. “Hammer and blond hair, Thor? Wait, he thinks I’m a murderer?” 

“It’s three in the morning,” May snapped. “This is not an emergency. Peter can come at a more reasonable hour to handle this.” Peter made a face and May knew that the symbionts had been rapidly sharing information, leaving her out of the loop. “If we could keep this conversation verbal, I’d appreciate the courtesy.” 

“Aunt May, we have a tight time limit. I promise to tell you everything when we get back, but we have to go, now,” Peter said. 

“I don’t think so.” May shifted Peter behind her, very much aware that the people in this room could physically force her to do what they wanted. “You say this is happening fast and it relates directly to Peter’s right to live on the Earth? Then I’m coming too. Let’s go.” 


	4. Plan B

The Avengers wasted no time bringing May and Peter up to speed. Tony, Thor, and Zero talked in tight circles, filling in details and deadlines. Peter watched the story take shape, his eyes moving from speaker to speaker like a spectator at a tennis match. When the big blond one brandished a hammer and explained how dangerous Klyntar symbionts were, May couldn’t handle it any more. She raised her right hand and in a clear resonant voice said, “Stop.” 

She should probably be intimidated, standing in the Avengers’ compound wearing her night clothes and having a conversation with a figure out of mythology, but May couldn’t feel anything but outrage at the situation her nephew was in again. “Are you aware that Peter was blackmailed into leaving the planet a few weeks ago? He left his home because it was the right thing to do, the safe thing. He let the other symbionts check him out and make sure he was okay, stable, good to go. Do you have any idea how insulting it is for you to stand there and tell me that my nephew and his symbiont, Cuddles—that’s right Cuddles—is a threat to the planet? Peter and Cuddles have been model citizens from the get go. He wears a biometric monitor every second of every day so Stark can keep constant track of him. There are felons on house arrest with more privacy. So explain it to me. Tell me what they’ve done to deserve this. I’m listening.” 

Thor smiled using the full force of his charm and faltered only minutely at May’s lack of response. “Dear lady, I’m certain that your nephew and Cuddles are fine citizens, but our experience with this race has been, far from simple. Allow me a few moments to speak with them. If your nephew is stable as you say, it may be possible to make some accommodation.” 

May felt she must be vibrating, she was so angry with the smug man deigning to consider an accommodation for Peter. “You’re going to make a determination based on a conversation rather than take the word of people who have been with him for the entire time this has been going on?” 

“May, they’re the good guys,” Peter piped in. “Let them do their thing. Remember the Siren symbiont? Thor just wants to keep the Earth safe. It’s his job.” 

Tony smiled thinly at May. “Don’t worry. The conversation is a formality. He needs to have a talk to set his Asgardian mojo at ease, then Thor’s going to fly home and start fixing things.” 

Peter stepped nervously from behind the protection of his aunt. He resolutely offered a hand which Thor accepted with a near bone-crushing force. “Hi I’m, Peter. Like May said, my symbiont is Cuddles. And you’re, wow, you are tall.” Cuddles manifested an avatar just like Zero had explained was polite in one of their many orientation meetings. A smaller version of the canid form he had adopted when first meeting May and Tony properly, he appeared to cling to Peter’s back, chin resting on Peter’s shoulder. Cuddles’ wide white eyes never left Thor. “It’s really nice to meet you, Mr. Thor, sir or your majesty? I don’t want to be rude.” 

“Just Thor is fine.” Thor sighed. Nothing like being set after a human child to make a man feel like a bully. Peter oddly reminded him of, Loki, well except that his brother had never much come across as earnest. No it was their stature; they were both frail-boned like birds. “Your symbiont is quite dark complected. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one that was actually black. Forgive me, but isn’t that an unusual color or am I misremembering my Klyntar protocol?” 

“Oh, you don’t know the whole black symbiont thing? It’s crazy. Do you want to heart the long version or the short version?” Peter held both hands up, stopping Thor from answering. “You’re going to want the long version, but I can do it pretty fast. Cuddles here, is special. Have you ever heard that saying that history is a living thing? For the Klyntar it’s literal.” 

Tony gently tugged May toward the door. “Let them talk. Peter has this.” 

She twisted the bracelet Peter and Cuddles had made her and nodded curtly, allowing him to steer her to the next room. “How exactly did we go from everything being settled with the symbionts to all symbionts have to be off the planet in less than a week? You said that things were handled. Stark, this is the opposite of handled.” 

Tony sighed. “This is the unfortunate side of big brother, Asgard, always watching out for Earth. They were just trying to help without knowing what was happening. Now that they know, we’re going to fix it. Thor is going to explain the situation to his father. Big daddy is going to call off the attack dogs.” 

“What guarantee do we have that Thor is going to help?” May asked. “What if he says, nice kid but I don’t trust symbionts.” 

“Have some faith in the walking shampoo commercial. Thor is a good man under all that hair and he won’t be able to resist that level of earnest puppy. Peter had him convinced from the moment he called him Mr. Thor, sir. Timing is going to be the biggest issue. We may have to send Peter and Cuddles on a short extra planetary summer trip, just until things are resolved.” 

May shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “In the last year Peter has spent more time locked in a lab or off the planet than living his life, being with his friends, sleeping in his own bed. This isn’t fair, not to him or me. We had plans. He has a whole movie watching schedule with his best friend, Ned.” 

“It’s not fair, no. What’s new about that? I need you to keep the faith here, May.” Tony waited a long moment before slapping his hands together. “We do need to discuss the logistics behind this short vacation. Zero recommended a resort ship, think Disney World meets Star Trek. This won’t be last year, getting locked in another lab or being judged by an alien race. This is just a little vacation. We have a day to get things together, and if you want to go with him, you can. This can be a family vacation. Be honest, you’ve had a foot out the door at the hospital for a while. Let that job go and find a new one when you get home.” 

“It’s not a terrible idea, except I just started a new job. I can’t go, so who is going to chaperone him on this short, safe, fun vacation to Star Trek Disneyland? And don’t say, Zero. I don’t trust her.” May found a chair and folded into it, anger giving way to exhausted resolution. “Would it really be that terrible to let the treaties burn and just skip the outer space vacation?” 

“Yes, but we’ll figure it out, we’ll send a chaperone we both trust.” Tony made a passable attempt at the Boy Scout salute. “You have my word.” 

* * *

Steve knew he should try to sleep. The sun would be up soon and there would be things to handle, but he slipped quietly downstairs instead to see how Stark was coming with his efforts to learn Galactic law and help his friend. He found the original conference room almost empty. Peter, and his guardian, May, Steve recognized from the briefing. Everyone else seemed to have slipped away elsewhere. “Hi, I’m Steve Rogers.” He shook May’s hand before turning to a wide-eyed Peter. 

The small black symbiont’s teeth elongated as he swelled a bit, and its claws extended a fraction. Peter bit his lip and tried not to be too nervous. Captain Rogers didn’t look particularly angry, but maybe he didn’t know Peter had fought against him in Germany. There was no reason to freak out. If he freaked out, Cuddles would freak out and they did not need that kind of scene right now. 

“Mr. Rogers, my nephew there is probably a little star struck, but his name is Peter. He’s a big fan of all the Avengers. Tell him, Peter.” May prodded him gently. 

“Peter and I met briefly in Germany,” Steve said without any malice. “Now we’ve met properly. Is that the symbiont everyone has been worried about? He seems more cute than dangerous.” 

“Oh, yeah, Cuddles can do cute or dangerous as the situation dictates, you know?” Not sure what to say to Captain America when his main interaction with the man was a disastrous fight at an airport, Peter let the silence stretch until he had to say something. “I’m really glad the Avengers, you and Mr. Stark patched things up. I think it’s great.” 

There was a large difference between willing to fight megalomaniacs together and patched up, but Steve didn’t argue the point. “Have they figured out a solution to your political problems?” 

“Yes, sort of. Thor is off to talk to his dad, Odin, who will hopefully agree that me and Cuddles can live on Earth. Then he would have to remove his opposition to our exemption papers and voila, we get to stay.” Peter smiled, an expression Cuddles mimicked with his more canine features. 

May sighed and shook her head. “You forgot the best part. To make sure various and sundry treaties aren’t violated, Peter and Cuddles get to take an off-planet vacation. The current discussion is how much security to send. Peter and Zero are of course the short list, but Tony thinks they need someone with more firepower along and he can’t make the trip this time.” May shrugged. “Captain Rhodes is injured. The rest of you don’t really know Peter or Cuddles.” 

Steve considered the other Avengers and quickly eliminated most possible pairings for personal or practical reasons. Bruce and Natasha needed time to figure things out and the Hulk in space seemed a remarkably risky proposition. Similarly, Wanda and Vision had unfinished business that they deserved a chance to explore. Of everyone available, Steve could only think of one Avenger with nothing personal or practical holding him back from a protection detail in space. “If he wants to send an Avenger, I’d be happy to accompany the group.” 

“Wow, really? It seems like overkill. Captain America guards teenager and his symbiont on boring vacation, most ridiculous misuse of resources ever,” Peter said. 

May snorted. “Are you kidding? I would love it if the trip were boring, but it’s you Peter, so my hopes aren’t high,” May said. “Chaos follows you around like you’re made of bacon and it’s a lost puppy. You were bitten by a mutant spider on a school field trip that gave you superpowers. The last girl you dated was the daughter of a criminal dealing in alien weapons. Most recently, while walking home from school, you stumbled across a wormhole full of sentient alien symbionts and one of them bonded with you permanently. If I could afford to hire a team of crack navy seals to guard you twenty-four-seven, I don’t think there would be any keeping you out of trouble.” 

“I can’t argue that improbable chaos is my real superpower. We’ve had this conversation once or twice before,” Peter said to Captain Rogers apologetically. He knew May didn’t mean it, but every time she even sort of implied that his bonding with Cuddles was an unfortunate event in his life, she hurt the little guy. “I would argue that none of the things on your list are inherently bad. Improbable moments of chaos, yes, but the world is a better place with Spider-man and Cuddles in it. Me dating Liz for five seconds blew Toomes’ cover and got the Vulture off the streets. It’s not about avoiding the chaos, it’s what you make of it.” 

“A little chaos can be a good thing, at least when you’re in college,” Mr. Stark said, sliding seamlessly into the conversation. He dropped into the seat at the head of the conference table and swiveled slowly to face his guests. “Found a chaperone, Happy volunteered. Zero convinced me that sending soldiers or Avengers was silly. May, are you okay with that?” 

Cuddles literally vocalized, a popping gleeful laugh at the mention of his friend coming along with them. “Cuddles approves,” Peter said. 

“Mr. Hogan is great. Actually, Captain Rogers just volunteered to go along,” May said. “Do you think it would be safer?” 

“I’m sure Steve-O here wants to get settled back into his life after living on the lam. Right?” Tony asked. 

Stay on Earth and play passive aggressive games with Stark or escort a bored teenager to the extraterrestrial Holiday Inn? “If it’s all the same. I’d like to go. You know me, always up for an adventure.” 

Peter shoved his hands in his pockets and bit his lip hard as he and Cuddles were treated to the full unspoken empathetic storm still raging between the two Avengers. Captain America and Ironman had not settled their differences, beyond superficial surface cooperation and politeness. “We’ll be fine either way really. You guys figure it out okay? I’m sure Zero will help us home.” Peter grabbed May by the hand and started backing up. He did not want to be here for an Avengers’ family feud. “See you tomorrow Mr. Stark, and maybe Captain Rogers.” 

“He’s right. I have work this morning and a lot to get together.” May waved briefly letting her nephew drag her presumably to Zero. “Peter,” May scolded as soon as they were far enough away not to be easily overheard. “Where’s the fire?” 

“Back there. They have things to say, to get off their chests, and they can’t do that with an audience. Trust the empathy. They need some space,” Peter said. 

Tony massaged the bridge of his nose, almost too tired to see straight. Of course super-soldier-Steve could probably go another three or four days without sleep. “I need a couple of hours sleep before we have any kind of discussion. How about we meet back at eight?” 

“Why do we need a discussion at all? What’s the big deal about me accompanying the symbionts on their trip. Some real backup that far from home would seem prudent, to me anyway.” Steve sat across from Stark, determined to get the man to say something real. The animosity veneered with politeness between them had nearly sunk their efforts against Doom. If Thor hadn’t dropped in, Steve wasn’t sure any of them would still be alive. 

You can’t go to space with the symbionts because Peter’s mine, Stark wanted to shout, as juvenile and wrong as it would be to say. It wasn’t lost on him that when the Avengers fractured, virtually the entire team left with Steve, even if it meant becoming fugitives. “I went to space with Pete last time. Trust me. There was no need of firepower. It was protocol and politics and a Hell of a lot of waiting. Stay here where you might be useful, okay? Now, I really have to get some sleep.” 

“Do you want me to apologize to you?” Steve asked. 

Tony paused halfway out the door. “Excuse me? I don’t expect anything from you. You keep fighting to protect the world when the world needs you and I’ll support that endeavor. We should try and keep things professional.” 

“Because that’s worked so well thus far? Look, I’m sorry,” Steve said. “For keeping secrets but mostly for not trying to compromise when the Sokovia accords were imposed. I should have tried. What happened cost a lot of people more than either of us ever intended.” 

Tony paused. This was the moment he could accept Steve’s apology and offer one of his own. A man with a fraction less pride or an ounce less insecurity in the relationships in his life, might have been able to find the strength. “We’re colleagues, not friends. I don’t require an apology so let’s shelve this conversation, permanently. Eight tomorrow, we’ll make a call about the symbionts in space mission.” 

It wasn’t exactly a long walk to the elevator and then to his bed, but it felt like a million miles to Tony. Leaning tiredly against the back wall of the elevator, Tony sighed. “F.R.I.D.A.Y. what time is it in France?” 

“Eleven AM, boss.” 

“That’s perfect. Call Pepper.” The phone rang four times and Tony expected voicemail, but the call connected. 

“Tony? I have a meeting in ten minutes. Is everything okay? If you’re calling to cancel or reschedule the engagement dinner again, I don’t want to hear it. Whoever is trying to conquer the world can reschedule.” 

“Come home. I miss you,” Stark said. 

“You know I’m stuck for a few days more. You come here. We can drink good wine and eat snails together every night.” 

F.R.I.D.A.Y. seamlessly patched the call from station to station as Tony retreated to his bedroom. He stripped away his shoes and clothes until nothing remained against his skin. A shower would be reasonable. He could still smell smoke in his hair from the battle against Dr. Doom, but Tony just collapsed backwards onto his bed. “Can’t leave right now. The Spider-kid is in another bit of trouble. Tell me exactly when you’ll be home.” 

“My last meeting is Tuesday morning. If I left in a hurry, we could do dinner that night? Tony, you don’t sound okay. Are you injured?” 

“Just tired. Outnumbered. Surrounded by people I can’t really trust.” Tony yawned and burrowed down into the silky soft sheets of his California king. “Hurry home, Pepper. Sleeping now.” 

“Oh Tony, sleep well.” On the other side of the ocean in a Paris office, Pepper disconnected the call and sighed. She dialed her assistant. “See if you can shift the rest of the week to teleconferences. I’d like to be on the plane and headed home after this meeting. Personal business. Thanks Doris.” 


	5. The Smell Test

The last time Peter tripped off to space in a hurry there hadn’t been time to pack anything, not a toothbrush or a change of underwear. It had been a literal dash to a collapsing wormhole with seconds to spare. A day to get things together wasn’t long, but in comparison it was ages. May told him to focus on his fun stuff like music and books. She pulled his largest backpack out and started filling it with laundry and toiletries. 

A big part of her wanted to abandon her new job and pack a bag for herself. Stark had shown a certain willingness to help them keep their head above water, and he wouldn’t let them end up homeless. Torching her new job and letting Stark fix it was just too close to charity. She and Peter were not going to evolve his spider powers and symbiont complications to some strange super-being Stark welfare program. It had stung enough to take the stipend he had all but forced on her, ostensibly for Peter’s contributions to the city. College was expensive though, and Peter was so bright. Did it really matter if he used the federal government’s entitlement loans or Starks generosity to pay that bill? May could swallow a lot of pride for Peter’s welfare. She just couldn’t swallow completely living off Stark. 

She could just hear the muffled voices of Peter and Ned in his bedroom. It was good that Peter had trustworthy friends that knew his secrets. When Peter called and gave him the five minute recap, Ned had taken the whole thing in stride, hopped on the subway, and come straight over to help Peter choose vital essentials for space vacationing. 

May knocked on Peter’s door before slipping in with his packed backpack. Frowning at the array of electronics strewn over both bunk beds, she shook her head. “Do you really think there will be a place to charge this vast array of electrical entertainment? I hear compatibility for outlets in Europe is a pain. Can you imagine space alien outlets?” 

Peter brandished an orange box with a hand crank and three standard outlets across the top. “Crank battery. Ned got it for camping three years ago when his mom went through her nature phase. He’s going to loan it to me. In exchange I’m going to find a souvenir—appropriately awesome but incognito.” 

“And how are you planning to buy souvenirs? I doubt they’re going to take your pocket money for currency. Zero is being generous enough, handling the bill,” May said. 

“Awesome doesn’t mean expensive.” Peter pointed to Ned. “Name your most awesome souvenir from your trip to Skywalker ranch.” 

Ned grinned. “Complete set of Star Wars branded condiment packets, free at the cafeteria with the purchase of a meal—Sith Lord soy sauce, Han Solo hot sauce. I got them all. We made a pretty sweet display case for them. Someday, my first apartment’s kitchen will have that shadow box mounted to the wall with track lighting.” 

“One of many decorating choices we’ve already made for the future nerd-partment,” Peter agreed. “We have a list. It will be spectacular.” 

“Amazing,” Ned agreed. 

“I can’t wait to see it.” May crossed her arms over her chest, acutely aware that she needed to get ready for work. “Zero isn’t coming to fetch you back upstate until I’m off this evening, right? I’ll get to say goodbye.” 

“She said around ten, so yeah, way after you get off,” Peter agreed. He didn’t resist when May hugged him tight, like he might not be here for a proper farewell. “I’ll see you tonight. Ned and I have dinner planned, so come home hungry.” 

“A surprise dinner? Okay, just don’t burn the place down.” May finally let him go and reluctantly disappeared to her day. 

“She’s almost as bummed as me,” Ned said. “I mean, I know it’s impossible to come along. I can sell a lot to my parents, but an indefinite trip to an unknown place with my best friend isn’t going to pass.” 

“Yeah, if it makes you feel any better, I’d rather spend the summer here with you. My last adventure in space wasn’t very adventurous.” Peter didn’t come out and say it wasn’t an amazing time or trip because, if he was honest with himself once things were settled with the symbionts, Peter had loved every second even the supposedly boring time, waiting around for a ruling on political filings. He’d been in space with Mr. Stark. He was meeting aliens and eating alien foods and sleeping on strange alien beds. He and Mr. Stark had played a game to pass the time. Using the same spare parts from the drones that came through with them, they had built stuff. It wasn’t a competition per say, but Peter won a few rounds. 

A wave of pride from Cuddles made Peter smile. If it wouldn’t have been cheating, Cuddles could have been very helpful in that game and Mr. Stark wouldn’t have known what hit him. 

“Last time Mr. Stark went along. He’s sending Happy this time instead?” Ned asked. 

“Yeah, Happy has a lot of experience babysitting me and Cuddles. It’s practically his official corporate title. Cuddles is thrilled.” Peter shrugged. “It isn’t a potentially dangerous mission into the unknown this time, and Mr. Stark has a wedding in just a few weeks. This shouldn’t be a long vacation but it might be longer than a couple of weeks. Happy’s cool.” 

“I’m not going to a single movie until you get home. We’ll storm the Cineplex when you get back and marathon through the summer blockbusters that drop while you’re gone. Agreed?” Ned lifted his fist for a bump. 

“You don’t have to do that.” Peter sighed. “You could always take MJ?” 

Ned waggled his fist. “It wouldn’t be half as fun without you, so I’m waiting.” 

“Cool.” They bumped fists and flowed through their usual handshake. Peter sat on the edge of the bunk bed, shoulder to shoulder with Ned. “May thinks I’m the unluckiest person alive. She’s wrong.” 

“I’d feel lucky to have a friend like me too,” Ned said with a self-depreciating chuckle. “Now, I expect you to capture everything, video diary, like Spider-blog it all. I want to feel like I was there.” 

* * *

Unlike a large number of the Avengers, Bruce was not a morning person. He had crafted his college schedules to avoid classes before ten and in life had never much been able to find his way to work any less than ten minutes late. So it was no surprise when he woke to an empty, cool bed. Natasha was the disciplined, up at dawn for a protein shake and run type. No, Bruce calmly showered and shaved and made his way downstairs for a little coffee and toast. 

Using his tablet, he let F.R.I.D.A.Y. update him on the situation with Asgard and the symbionts. Fortified for his day and up to date on developments, Bruce hesitated. He should probably go looking for Nat, but it was simpler to seek out Tony in his lab. While he had a code for the room, Bruce didn’t just slip in. He waited at the threshold for acknowledgment. The Avengers were home and Tony might need a little alone time to process. 

Without bothering to look up from what he was welding, Tony waved briefly to him in greeting. Loud music continued to blare and Bruce took the hint. He was welcome to stay and hide out, but there would be no talking here and now. Sipping what remained of his coffee, Bruce found a comfortable station to work from in the back. At least he pretended to work. The article he pulled up to read couldn’t hold his attention. 

His mind kept straying to the night before and the woman he still hadn’t spoken to this morning. 

When the music finally stopped and Tony wandered over, sans welding gear, Bruce still hadn’t started reading and his coffee had gone stone cold. “Not to be nosey, but it’s my compound and F.R.I.D.A.Y. sometimes overshares, so congratulations. You and Nat.” 

“Am I crazy, Tony. I mean, people like me shouldn’t get involved in potentially emotionally demanding relationships. It’s irresponsible, like an alcoholic working at a bar. We all see the disaster coming, right?” Bruce sipped the cold coffee and tried not to panic. 

“Bruce, you are one of the sanest guys I know, most of the time. if you were avoiding emotionally challenging relationships, you should never have shaken my hand and rode off in my car with me. You and Nat in a romance will be a cakewalk after friendship with Tony Stark.” Realizing that Bruce didn’t appreciate his attempt at levity, Tony frowned and tried again. “If it’s dangerous, so be it. She knows what she’s signing up for.” 

“The big guy likes her, you know. I don’t think he would ever hurt her on purpose. Not that it would feel any better if he hurt her accidentally.” 

Tony sighed. “You tried hiding on a mountain and finding the meaning of inner peace. Do you want to go back to the wilderness and hide again? If not, then freaking go for it. You can’t be the mightiest Avenger and this big of a coward.” 

“Crap, we have company. Is there a reason you built your lab without an opaque entrance?” Bruce nodded to the locked but transparent door behind which Natasha and Steve were now standing. Looking a bit like a man facing his execution, Bruce rose and straightened his shirt. “There’s a back door, but you’re right, I’m not that much of a coward. Wish me luck?” 

“Go get her cowboy,” Tony said, “Send the boy scout in while you’re at it.” 

* * *

It was just as well that Tony didn’t show up to talk at eight as planned. On one hand, Steve wanted to have an argument, a cool logical debate. The Sokovia Accords were struck down by legal challenge, so there wasn’t any reason to argue over that any longer. As for the other issue, if he could see the similarities between Bucky and Peter’s situations, surely Tony had seen it too. Bucky was no more responsible for what he had done while brainwashed by Hydra, than Peter would have been if the symbiont had driven him mad. Tony had bent all the rules, protected Peter even knowing that he was potentially a hazard to everyone and everything around him. 

When you care about someone, when you love them, it changes the rules. 

But Tony didn’t need the similarities pointed out for him. He was too smart for that. Tony had signed off on lobbying for their pardons. He wouldn’t have done that if he hadn’t come around logically, and that meant the problem wasn’t a failure to understand. For whatever reason, Tony wasn’t ready to forgive them, particularly him. 

Not fixing something went against the grain for Steve, but he had apologized for his part in the Sokovia disaster. He apologized for the only part of the Bucky situation he felt warranted an apology. Tony asked him to leave it alone and be professional. Maybe he couldn’t fix things, but Steve could honor that request. 

When Natasha breezed through on her way to locate Bruce, Steve tagged along more to see the two of them together than thinking he would find Stark. Bruce brought out a vulnerability in Natasha, a humanity that she never showed around anyone else. As couples went, they were easy to root for. 

It was strange after so many months roaming around as fugitives, now walking the pristine modern halls of a Stark compound. It was familiar but not comfortable, like a pair of shoes you’ve outgrown but still want to wear. No, if he wasn’t needed on the mission in space, Steve was going to need to find an apartment as soon as possible. Staying here was too uncomfortable. 

It didn’t take the Black Widow very long to find her quarry. Natasha put on a stern expression outside the lab and waited for Bruce to explain himself. “Hey Nat, you were up early. I missed you at breakfast.” 

“And you thought you’d find me in Tony’s lab?” she asked. 

“No.” Bruce shrugged. “When your lady friend is an international super spy, you let her find you when she’s good and ready.” 

She cracked then, her stern expression shifted and she could be any girl, smitten with a guy. “Acceptable answer. You realize you’ve just given me permission to find you if you disappear on me?” 

“Did I? Okay then. I may have made a tactical error.” Bruce nodded to him on his way out the door. “Steve, Tony’s waiting for you inside.” 

Looking far more rested and composed than he had the night before, Tony lifted a hand in polite greeting. “You still itching to go into space?” 

“I’m still willing. If you think it’s unnecessary, I’ll accept your judgement call. You do know more about this situation than the rest of us,” Steve said. 

“You should go. A little backup when you’re that far away isn’t a bad thing.” Tony frowned. “I don’t like delegating Peter this way.” 

You don’t like delegating Peter to me, Steve read between the lines. “I’ll do my best to keep him safe.” 

“Yeah, well, don’t expect him to make that easy.” 

* * *

Standing in the vaulted halls of Asgard’s throne room, looking up at his father, Thor felt no real anxiety. He had stood in this exact place as a child to be scolded for ruining his mother’s linens. Familiarity made even the most dramatic tableaus comfortable. “Father, the Klyntar symbionts agreed to leave Midgard as requested. I would ask if we might reevaluate their right to return to Earth on a specific case basis. They appear to be two rather benign variations on the species.” 

“Of course, we will allow them to return when the Klyntar are ready,” Odin replied. 

Thor paused. “When the Klyntar are ready?” 

“Their ambassador asked a favor. We helped them displace their people temporarily without putting their own handprints on the act. In return they made some generous trade concessions,” Odin said. 

“Why would the Klyntar want such a thing?” Thor asked. 

“Their motivations aren’t terribly important to us. It costs nothing to accommodate them and the trade benefit is immense.” Odin smiled. “It’s good to see you showing some small interest in politics, son.” 

Thor didn’t answer right away, his expression first puzzled then angry. “You made a deal with the Klyntar, the species directly responsible for Balfonheim? You told me that few races were capable of such uncontrolled darkness and we should never negotiate with them lightly. But you made a deal for increased trade that you don’t even fully understand?” Thor began twirling his hammer. “Who are you, sir? You are not Odin.” 


	6. Happy Trails

If Tony had asked him to consider chaperoning Peter and Cuddles on a short trip to space, Happy wouldn’t have had to think about it very hard. The answer would have been no way, no chance. He had guarded Tony around the world and back again over the years, but every man had a line, and his line was leaving the planet. Of course, Tony hadn’t asked him. He just discussed how impossible the situation was, how few people really knew what was going on with Peter and Cuddles and of the people who knew, how many could be trusted to have the kids’ best interests at heart? 

No Tony hadn’t asked. But he was right. Peter and Cuddles were kids and he had been guarding them in some form for long enough that they were his kids. Could he let his kids go to space without a real ally? Happy’s normally stern expression turned just a bit harder and he sighed. “I could go. Would it be possible to send me with them?” 

Tony paused to consider for a moment. “I hadn’t even thought of asking you, Happy. I mean, that would be perfect. Absolutely perfect.” 

“We’re going to pretend that that big long speech wasn’t you asking me to help out, fine, but you owe me for this one,” Happy said. “I’m thinking hazard pay to start, and you better remember this when Christmas bonus season rolls around.” 

“Of course, best Christmas bonus ever.” Tony glanced at his watch and winced. “You might want to go ahead and start packing. The transport shuttle will be taking off with you guys in less than twenty-four hours.” 

“Less than… of course less than twenty-four hours.” Happy pulled out his phone and started dialing. “Mom? Yeah, I’m going out of town with work. I won’t be home this weekend for your… Mom, no, do not postpone. I don’t care if you were going to introduce me to, no, absolutely not.” 

* * *

His carryon rolling behind him like he was just headed to the airport and not to outer space, Happy strolled onto the Avengers’ flight strip. He was a bit early, but that’s how he was raised. If you weren’t fifteen minutes early, you were late. Years of being chained to Tony’s more flexible punctuality had never rubbed off on him and when he could be on time, he was. Today, apparently, he wasn’t the only one. 

Standing over a silver case and trying to pack a handful of items into a space that appeared already full, Tony cursed quietly under his breath while he reshuffled. 

“Hey boss, need a hand?” Happy peeked in the box and blinked. It looked like a super-high-class Radio Shack had thrown up in there. There were tiny arc reactors and dozens of other gizmos he couldn’t identify. “What is that?” 

Tony managed to find a space for the last bit of tech and closed the box without breaking anything. He glanced up at Happy speculatively. “Just a little toy for Peter. Who knows how things are going to go. Space Disney Land might be boring, we don’t know. Kid likes to MacGyver tech. Besides, you never know when an arc reactor and some hydraulics might save your life.” 

Distinctly reminded of the last silver case Tony had given to Peter, Happy nodded. The kid had practically spontaneously combusted over the Spider-suit. “You want me to hand it off to him once we’re away?” 

“Yeah, that would be perfect.” Tony settled Happy’s carryon on top of the case, so it would be obvious they were together. “There’s a router in there to boost communication.” Tony brandished a small shoe box sized case filled with standard black faced watches with silver bands. “You and your team should wear these at all times.” The only watch with a gold band, Tony put on Happy’s wrist. “This is the master communicator.” 

“Yeah, I’ve used these before,” Happy said. “I remember most of the features.” 

Tony smashed an owner’s manual into his chest. “Just in case.” 

“Probably a good idea, thanks. What are we forgetting?” Happy asked. 

Tony nodded to the doors where Peter, Zero, and the rest were coming. “Just the tour group.” 

“This is going to be like herding cats,” Happy groaned. 

“Herding cats in space.” Tony clapped Happy on the shoulder solidly. “You’re a good man.” Striding forward he gestured to the new arrivals. “Gather around kids. We need to cover some ground rules. For communication.” Tony handed a silver-banded watch to each of the people heading to space. Peter and Steve put theirs on while Zero stared at it with distaste before feeding it to Root for safe keeping that didn’t involve displaying it. 

“As you all know, Zero will be your cultural guide and your pilot on this vacation. Captain Rogers will be providing a little extra backup, but the man in charge of this endeavor will be Mr. Hogan. Any questions or complaints?” Tony asked. 

Steve shrugged, apparently willing to follow Happy’s lead, at least while things were going well. 

“Don’t I have a designation?” Peter asked. 

Tony’s expression fell somewhere between consternation and affection. “Exiled high school student who does what Happy Hogan tells him, every time it comes up. Seriously, keep your head down up there.” 

The M-ship Zero escorted them aboard wasn’t very large, but it was clean and shiny like a vessel that hadn’t probably seen a lot of use. Happy felt more than a little out of place stowing his luggage and examining the cubby that was supposed to be his bed, but he kept his unflappable façade on. 

“Hey Happy,” Peter called. “How far we’ve come from my first plane ride, yeah? Cuddles and I like our quarters. It’s not that much smaller than our bedroom back home. Got to love New York apartments, mentally preparing people for space travel accommodations.” 

“Yeah.” Happy continued eyeing his sleeping cubby, uncertain if he would even fit. Standing next to him, Peter followed his gaze and suddenly smiled. “The bed’s adjustable, you know. We had beds like these last time and Mr. Stark figured out the controls.” Using a set of dials on the wall, Peter expanded the width and length of the bed. “It’s still not huge.” 

“It’s better, thanks kid,” Happy said. “While you’re here, take the silver case. Tony sent it for you.” 

“It’s not a new suit, is it?” Peter asked. 

“According to Tony, it’s a toy. It’s not my idea of a toy, but I’ve never had much interest in machines beyond classic car engines.” Judging by Peter’s face at the sight of the raw tech, toy was accurate to him as well. “I don’t suppose you can build a television that would receive baseball out here with all that?” 

“Probably not,” Peter said. “I could try?” 

“You do what you want kid, but baseball would be nice.” 

Peter had barely made it out the door before the room was overfull with a fully geared up super soldier. A black armored jumpsuit with silver accents left very little to the imagination about Rogers’ physique. At least his current gear had less migraine inducing color than his original suit, Happy reasoned. “You need something Captain?” 

“Just checking in. Zero says we’ll be in transit for a bit over a day. I thought we might want to determine how we’re going to handle the chaperoning duties for the teenager before we’re in a much larger arena.” Steve looked around the cramped quarters and not seeing any reasonable place to sit, leaned against the nearest wall. 

“I don’t expect Peter to try and give us the slip. He’s pretty eager to please when you get down to it, but he’s also the type to go chasing into a dangerous situation without a second thought if he thinks someone is in danger, so yeah. Twelve-hour shifts? Once we have a better feel for this entertainment ship we’ll adjust the plan.” 

“He’s eager to jump in, huh? He sounds like someone I know. Before the super soldier serum, I was always diving in over my head. Afterwards I kept diving, but I was a way better swimmer,” Steve said. 

Happy smirked. “You know, I can see a few similarities between you and the kid. You are both stubborn as hell.” 

Steve plastered a smile on. It was probably too much to hope that Happy wouldn’t be overly sensitive to him like his boss. “Right, I’m the stubborn Avenger,” Steve said. “Stark isn’t exactly quick to compromise either, or even consult his peers. The man makes a decision and he’s building robots or signing treaties without taking anyone else’s views into consideration.” 

At that moment, a small black entity made itself known. Manifesting an avatar no larger than a cocker spaniel, Cuddles swelled and showed teeth. He placed himself squarely between Happy and Steve, clearly threatening Steve with his posture and tension. 

“Crap,” Happy groaned. “The kids are empaths and I suspect you just convinced my friend Cuddles that we’re enemies. Nicely done.” Happy dropped to a knee and put a tentative hand out to the snarling avatar. Cuddles leaned into his hand and appeared to calm down almost immediately. 

Peter appeared in the door, a more sizable manifestation of his symbiont clinging to his shoulders. “Okay so, that incognito avatar that we left in your room, was supposed to be a security measure for you Happy. I mean, you’re the person here with the least innate protections and Cuddles wanted to make sure we were as available to help if you got in trouble as we could be. We should have said something, I know. Sorry.” 

“It’s okay. I appreciate the thought. Captain Rogers and I were just discussing who was the most stubborn Avenger and the exchange got a little heated. It upset Cuddles.” Treating the little avatar like he would a dog, Happy scratched its head and accepted the warm protective waves that came with every touch. 

“The most stubborn Avenger?” Peter asked, pretending that he didn’t know exactly what the argument had been, word for word. “That has to be the Hulk, right? I mean, where’s the argument?” 

“You’ve never tried to convince Black Widow to change her mind,” Steve said, eager to escape the earlier tension. “Or convince Vision to use doors.” 

“Vision sounds like the most awkward Avenger. I might make a run at most awkward Avenger if I was an Avenger,” Peter said. The avatar on his back merged back into him like it had never been there. 

Steve reached a hand out. “May I?” Once Peter nodded, he touched his shoulder, ran a hand down his arm and even gently lifted him off the ground. 

“So, I took a little physics back a hundred years ago and what that symbiont does isn’t possible. You should weigh more than you do in the very least.” Steve took a step back. “How does it work?” 

“It’s all instinct for Cuddles. He can’t build a math model of it but from our conversations it’s like he’s folding space. He can generate a huge amount of mass if we need it. We can keep avatars going indefinitely. There’s a lot to it really.” Peter smiled at Happy who was still absently stroking Cuddles’ avatar. “Zero is getting a meal together. So, I’m going try some space food.” 

“Sounds good,” Steve said. 

“I could eat.” Happy didn’t object to his new companion following at his heels. If Cuddles wanted to play bodyguard to him, it meant Peter and symbiont were unlikely to roam far. It was a solid win-win. 

Space food was not a win. Seated at a small metal table filled with unfamiliar fare, Zero smiled graciously to Peter and served him a variety of colored cubes. “Enjoy.” She glanced over at the other humans and indicated that they could help themselves but offered no guidance. 

Peter jumped in eagerly to explain. “So guys, these are nutrient cubes. Approved for movement between worlds without special permits. The grays and browns are all proteins. The pinks and the greens are carbs. You’ve got some condiments in the tray there. And I can speak from personal experience, they all taste terrible.” 

“Why exactly did we not bring some food from home for this part of the trip?” Happy chose a few protein cubes and carb cubes. 

“Moving traditional food stuffs between worlds is complicated at best. Moving foodstuffs from Earth, an interdicted world, would be highly illegal,” Zero shared. 

“I’ve got enough trouble without smuggling Doritos,” Peter agreed. Happy quirked an eyebrow as the kid proceeded to push the cubes into his palm, feeding them to Cuddles. “His pallet is less discerning,” Peter explained, “He thinks random hydrocarbons are tasty. He’ll share the nutrients with me.” 

“Handy,” Steve said. 

“Very punny.” Peter rolled his eyes. 

Trying not to gag on his first taste of protein cube, Happy added, “Tell me there’s better food on the ship we’re headed to? I may just fast till we get there.” 

* * *

Even with the bed expanded to its limit, Happy couldn’t quite find a comfortable position. Like a thin futon spread over concrete, he tossed and turned for a few hours before giving up and venturing out into the common area to try and find a comfortable chair to doze in. He wasn’t the only one still awake though. 

Sitting with his feet pulled up on the chair and his arms crossed behind his neck, Peter gazed at the wall apparently comfortable in the folded, contortionist pose. In the months Peter spent confined, Happy had found him like this many times, focused inwards on things happening in his mind that the rest of them were excluded from. “Hey kid,” Happy said, taking the seat opposite him. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping like everyone else?” 

Peter looked his way, but he didn’t speak up at first. “Pot, kettle.” 

“My back is out of warranty. I have an excuse. No one who can fold themselves into a chair like that, is having a hard time getting comfortable on that flat, hard excuse for a bed. You may as well tell me what’s keeping you up. It’s not like I’ll be getting any sleep tonight.” Happy propped his feet out and tried to get more comfortable in the metal chair. 

“Bad dream,” Peter said, simply. “Cuddles had a bad dream.” 

“Cuddles dreams? I wasn’t really sure if he slept. Do you want to talk about it?” Happy asked. 

Peter shrugged. “He was scared and sad. It was terrible, but he retreats behind the bond, away from me to sleep. There are things he doesn’t want me to see or know.” Peter paused here and closed his eyes, apparently having an internal conversation. “I don’t know what upset him, but the emotions were overwhelming. I’ve been sitting here trying to get him to let me in, but he won’t listen.” 

Feeling more than a little out of his element, Happy wasn’t sure what advice to give. “Have you talked to Zero and Root? That’s why the pink ones are here right?” 

You could have knocked him over with a feather, Happy was so surprised to have the avatar of Cuddles that had been dogging his ankles fly onto the table and answer his question. “No! It’s none of their business.” Literally thrumming with emotions, those wide white eyes glared at Happy. 

He knew that if he reached out the emotions Cuddles was feeling would be shared with him, but Happy kept his distance from the apparently upset symbiont. 

“I told you he could talk. He’s just stubborn about it,” Peter said. “Considering the conversation earlier, he probably learned how to be stubborn from me.” 

“Let’s be fair. He’s had a lot of good mentorship on stubbornness in his short life.” Happy sighed. “It’s just a bad dream. If he keeps shutting you out and this doesn’t work itself out. Talk to the other host and symbiont. It’s why they’re here, yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Peter agreed. “I’m sure it will work itself out.” 

No longer thrumming with emotion, the avatar of Cuddles disappeared back into Happy’s quarters. Peter nodded warmly after him. “Happy, you should try that bed again. Cuddles is going to help make it more comfortable. He really wants to help.” 

“How?” Happy asked. 

“He’s going to do a mattress impersonation.” Peter bit his lip. “It’s not as creepy as it sounds.” 

Massaging his lower back, Happy looked torn for a moment before shrugging. “It couldn’t be less comfortable.” 


End file.
